The Simple Truth – Giving and Dogs
Geoffrey Larmer is a small town civil litigation lawyer who lives on the south shore of Trout Lake in the hamlet of Corbeil with his loving partner, Angela, and their two aloof waterdogs, Juno and Emmett. He has no expertise in anything of importance. He enjoys watching human evolution with all its faults and frailties. He loves skim milk cappuccinos with cinnamon, watching action movies and reading Calvin & Hobbes.
The Simple Truth – Giving and Dogs
Growing up, all the neighbourhood kids had dogs. We didn’t. I was one of the lucky few that was allergic to everything from goldenrod to Raid products. Dog hair was on the list of things that plagued me for decades. I vividly remember my bi-weekly injections of immunotherapy at the local allergist’s repair shop.
Looking back, that wasn’t such a bad thing. I was probably too young to appreciate what I would later learn as a dog owner.
Put away your Kleenex box. There is nothing profound here. Most everyone has read the popular posts on social media about dogs that pop up when someone’s furry friend passes away: the remembrance, the poems, and the tributes. I cannot compete with that. I only offer some personal observations.
I have only ever owned two dogs. My first was Bruce, a wrinkled and fiercely loyal Shar-pei. My second was Juno, an energetic and determined Barbet. Thankfully, Juno is still with me, and not surprisingly, laying at my feet right now patiently waiting for me to finish this blog.
Through my adult years, both dogs gave me constant companionship during difficult times. They both gave me comfort when I faced tremendous loss. And they both taught me the importance of giving.
Giving is what dogs do.
That is the simple truth.
Human nature is complex. We carry enormous capacity for good and evil. Our historic struggle to remain at the top of the food chain and dominate all forms of life is embedded in our DNA. Yet we continue to push back. We strive to be better. It is the canine traits of giving that we hold in such high esteem: empathy, loyalty, friendship and unconditional love.
Dogs give instinctively. They give without receiving. Their giving is their gift to humanity. A lesson for all of us.
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